Essay The Mock-Epic and The Rape Of The Lock - 1067 Words

The Mock-Epic and The Rape Of The Lock The argument can be made that the purpose of the Rape of the Lock is to attack the vanity of women. Pope states this directly in his dedication to Arabella – â€Å"to laugh at their sex’s little unguarded Follies,† and the author’s use of the mock-epic seems to reinforce this purpose through its comparison of the epic odyssey to trivial events. In this comparison there can also be found a description of the relationship between the sexes not as a mutual co-existence but rather as a war with both sexes constantly striving for supremacy. If this is true, then we must condemn the society in which Pope lived rather than female vanity. I will look at the effects of Pope’s use of the mock-epic in†¦show more content†¦Meanwhile, I would agree with extract 2’s statement that Belinda is no goddess, but the criticism aimed at Pope that his use of the mock-epic serves not so much to trivialise female vanity in the 18th century but rather to com pare England to the Roman Empire through the glorification of Belinda’s world and therefore implicitly support British Imperialism seems to me false. The Author of extract 2 seems to me to have rather an idealistic view of the great age of Rome and similarly seems to contradict herself in her main argument. In condemning Pope’s use of the mock-epic as imperialistic in describing Belinda’s self-adornment, rather than merely satirical amplification of such trivia, extract 2 seems to ring hollow. To say that the Roman empire was more worthy than the British empire and then to claim that Pope’s use of the mock-epic allows him to avoid the implication that imperialism produces a moral anarchy and degradation of culture, although almost certainly accurate, can undoubtedly be levelled at the Roman empire just as much as the British one. Also the statement that Rome had no such trivial concerns would seem to not only be an unfounded and indeed naà ¯ve view, but also seems to ignore that the Iliad itself could certainly be seen as a result of a relatively trivial action. The fleeing of Helen to Troy whichShow MoreRela ted Use of the Mock-epic Style in The Rape of the Lock Essay979 Words   |  4 PagesUse of the Mock-epic Style in The Rape of the Lock The triumph of the Barons rape is in exactly the same high language as it would be if he were Hector. In The Rape of the Lock, Pope uses the mock-epic style to satirise the seriousness with which a trivial misdemeanour (the theft of a few strands of hair) and the ways of gender polarised society can be blown beyond all sense of proportion. Thus the male mentality, through the Baron, is portrayed as lacking depth or personality beyondRead More Dunciad: Mock epic and parallels to Rape of the Lock (another satire)671 Words   |  3 Pages The Dunciad: A Mock Epic? Honors English nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;The fourth book of the Dunciad describes the fall and slow death of the English society that once taught him all the things he knew. He lashes out at his critics, accusers, and nay Sayers in his allegorical poem. It symbolizes a mock epic because of the elaborate use of words, calling on inspiration from a higher force, and using his work not so much to tell a story, but to point out the faults of a social order that can’tRead MoreJohn Milton s Paradise Lost And Alexander Pope s The Rape Of The Lock1220 Words   |  5 PagesEpic conventions are things that most epic poems have in common. They are not always identical, but they have common characteristics. Examples of epic conventions are a hero or individual that is beneficial in some way to a community, a journey in which the narrative takes the reader to different regions, and supernatural forces. The most common epic conventions are a long narrative poem about the great deeds of a human hero, re counting past events, elevated language, invoking a muse, the hero’sRead MoreRape Of The Lock And Paradise Lost1308 Words   |  6 PagesRape of the lock vs Paradise lost The Rape of the Lock employs many of the traditional epic conventions used in Paradise Lost, but instead of recounting a story of a hero whose actions are of great importance or of national significance, The Rape of the Lock tells one of a timid character that makes an adventure out of the attainment of a fair damsel’s lock of hair. It uses the conventions of an epic poem on a miniature scale and the meaning of the subject is very much trivial. Since epics areRead MoreThe Rape of the Lock as a Mock-Heroic Poem943 Words   |  4 PagesAccording to Childs and Fowler, (2006:144) in heroic epic, things that are not ordinary and things that are trivial can exist together and be a part of each other. But in mock-epic the author puts less emphasis on concern in broad discourse, the slowly developing balance of epic narration bonds with the awareness of individual satire. As far as mock-epic is concerned, within the plot the representatives of the ritualistic become given to bouts o f ill temper, poise and self-respect transforms intoRead MoreAnalysis Of John Milton s Paradise Lost 1253 Words   |  6 Pagesaudience know his goals and how important his writing is through epic metaphors and masterful language. In Paradise Lost, he tells his audience that this will the epic to end all epics and that this is the most important tale of all mankind: the fall of Man. Comparatively, Alexander Pope used the same style of epic not to tell an important tale, but to question much of the life of aristocracy in his time. In his mock epic, Rape of the Lock, Pope alludes to Paradise Lost in order to point out the trivialitiesRead More Comparison of Popes The rape of the Lock and Swifts A Modest Proposal765 Words   |  4 Pages Although Alexander Popes, The Rape of the Lock, and Jonathan Swifts A Modest Proposal are both witty satires, they differ on their style, intention, and mood. To begin, in The Rape of the Lock, Alexander Pope uses satire to invoke a capricious, melancholy mood to illustrate the absurdity of fighting over the cutting of ones hair. Hidden inside this poem is a crafty criticism of the society that helps create the crisis over the stolen lock. A Society in which appearances ere more importantRead MoreA Mock Epic Is An Extended Narrative Poem In Elevated Or1319 Words   |  6 PagesA mock epic is an extended narrative poem in elevated or dignified language, celebrating the feats of a legendary or traditional hero. In Alexander Pope’s, The Rape of Lock, his satire is considered to be a mock epic not only because it is a long narrative poem, but consists with a series of events and revolves around beauty over brains. This mock epic satirizes not only sylphs, but also satirizes a woman’s ability to think logically than emotionally. The Rape of Lock is considered to be a mockRead MoreAlexander Pope s The Rape Of The Lock1340 Words   |  6 Pageslike an epic. Epics are long poems, typically told orally in ancient times, about the adventures of a hero or heroine and their deeds. The Iliad should immediately come to the mind of any student proficient in western literature. Nonetheless, the themes and archetypes of these works known as epics are so well-known, that they are even parodied, take completely out of context, and pasted on the wall for laughs. One of the most recognized parodies of this kind would be Alexander Pope’s The Rape of theRead MoreThe Rape Of Lock By Alexander Pope1448 Words   |  6 PagesA mock epic is an extended narrative poem in an elevated or dignified language that celebrating the feats of a legendary or traditional hero. In Alexander Pope’s, The Rape of Lock, his poem is a mock epic, not only because it is a long narrative poem; but his work consists in a series of even ts and revolves around beauty over brains. This mock epic satirizes not only sylphs, but also satirizes a woman’s ability to think logically than emotionally. The Rape of Lock is considered to be a mock epic